DAVIE, Fla. – On March 24, Isaiah Salome jumped into action as his Davie mobile home went up in flames.
As black smoke and flames billowed, the 10-year-old grabbed a garden hose and ran into the inferno, attempting to put out the fire that would consume his home in the Western Hills Estates neighborhood.
“I don’t really know, it was like, I just went and got that,” he said. “(To) try and get that fire out.”
The home was a total loss. Miraculously, everyone made it out, but Isaiah suffered second-degree burns to his face, arms, chest and legs.
“It’s something we had to adjust to. There’s moments and times when, yes, it’s hard,” his mother, Maria Vallejo, said. “It’s hard to see him cry, to see him go through the pains he’s going through. We just have to wait and see what the future holds in order to get him the help he needs.”
On Wednesday, he reunited with the Davie Fire Rescue first responders from that day.
They gave him “Sparky’s Certificate of Bravery.”
“The courage is outstanding for someone his age to run into a house that’s on fire,” DFR Deputy Chief Frank Suriano said. “It’s very fearful, very hot, very dangerous. But, apparently, he really wanted to go and protect his family.”
Vallejo said Isaiah is now on his journey to recovery: from skin grafts to physical therapy on the horizon and possibly an additional surgery down the road.
“I’m proud of him, was scared at the same time,” Vallejo said. “He’s been a real trooper throughout this.”
Family members have set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for medical expenses.